Wall structure having anchored architectural facing



5 @ye/@Wy 7 we (www Feb.l 27, 1945. R H TURK A 2,370,594

WALL STRUCTURE HAVING ANCHORED ARCHITECTURAL FACING Filed May 2O 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Y RaW/WMA l/ l L? f5 f--hf Feb. 27, 1945. R, H TURK2,370,594'

WALL STRUCTURE HAVING ANCHO-RED ARCHITECTURAL FACING Filed May 2o, 19412 sneets-sneet 2 @wcm/tofu award/Klar@ Patented Feb. 27, 1945 VUNITEDsfrirresy PfiizN'r OFFICE WALL STRUCTURE HAVING AN CHORED ARCHITECTURALFACING Richard H. Turk, Baltimore, Md., assigner to Pemco Corporation, acorporation of Maryland Application May 20, 1941, Serial No. 394,374

9 Claims. (Cl. 'l2- 18) The presentinvention relates to thev produc'`tion of porcelain enameled architectural units and shapes, and theapplication thereof to a carrying surface while the latter is in aplastic state, said carrying surface being adapted vto thereafter hardenand support said. porcelain enameled unit. i Y It hasl previously beenproposed to Aprovide iron or steel sheets or tiles having a porcelainenameled exterior iinish and to attach the same to interior supportingsurfaces such as bathrooms,`A

kitchens, and the like, but such architectural shapes have been providedwith screws, bolts, clips and the like adapted to be fastened tostudding, metal moulding, or similar parts. AAsidel from the. rathercomplicated mechanical arrangements previously necessary for attachingthe shape to the retaining supports, such asa wall. or the like, a majordiiculty has been encountered in that the large sized porcelain,

enameled sheets and panels exceeding, for example, 12 to 18 inches inany one direction were not sumclently well anchored tothe supportingsurface so as to present a smooth exterior surface free from bulging andwarping. Due to! the high gloss porcelain enamel nish often employed inarchitectural panels and shapes, comparatively small eccentricities inthe contour of the surface of the unit are greatly magnified, and

as a result detract; from the esthetic appeal of the tile panel or otherunit The diiculty 'encountered inanchoring such sheets and panels inplace so that the latter present a nat plane surface has, up to thepresentv time, resulted in a, substantially negligible use', especiallyin the treatment of interior walls or the like, of large panels orsheets provided with a porcelain enamel finish. It` is desired'to pointout thatV if the above difliculties could be surmounted, porcelainenameled sheets and tiles would become' very popular in places wherecleanliness and ease of cleaning are important and especially ininterior decoration of bathrooms, kitchens and the like, it beingfurther pointed out that the porcelain enamel finish is available inmany colors andcan be adapted to produce a great many decorativeeffects.

It has been ascertained that the solution of the problem resides in`providing the porcelain.

enameled panels or other shaped members with projecting members andembedding the latter in the supporting medium while the latter is in aplastic statesaid carrying medium after embedment of the projectingmeans hardening 1 around the projecting means to thereby hold the panelmember rigidly in avuniform plane.

This method of application may be employed when the carrying medium is awall provided with al coating of wet plaster. After'the plaster has beenapplied to the wall and while the plaster is in a plastic state,thepprojecting members lof the porcelain enameled sheets or tiles arepressed into the wet plaster coating, said coating upon drying anchoringthe sheets or panel members rigidly in a uniform plane and preventingthe sheets from bulging and warping.` Itis to be noted that this methodof application not only provides the wall or other supporting surfacewith a firmly adherent fiat architectural shape such as a sheet or tile,but, as stated, eliminates the necessity of complicated mechanicalarrangements for attaching the shape to the carrying medium. Further, inemploying the method heretoforeused, it was necessary to accuratelyspace the porcelainv enameled sheets or the like on the surface of thesupporting material in order to properly attach the porcelain enameledsheets and tiles tothe carrying surfaceby lmeans ofpbolts, screws, clipsand the like.

, It has further been `ascertained that the interior surface of thepanel member and its projecting members were subject to the rusting andcorroding influence of the supporting medium` and that this could beprevented by providing all of the surfaces exposedvto` thesupporting me-,diu'mk such as a plaster surface with a coating of porcelain enamel,the latter reacting with the metal surfaces to key itself thereto.

The present rinvention will be illustrated in y connection with theaccompanying drawings in y which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the rear surface of f Figure? is a horizontalsection taken on line 'l-l of Figure 6; Y

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken on line 8.-8 of Figure 7 Figure 9is a sectional view of a porcelain enameled pre-formed tile providedwith loops spot welded to tile indentatio-n members; and

Figure is a sectional view of a 'porcelain enameled pre-formed tileprovided with a screen anchoring unit.

As shown` in Figure 1, the iron or steel panel I is provided withro;ectir1gy anchoring" members 2, having ahnrizontar leg 4 ,andi a`vertical leg 5, the horizontal leg of the members being spot welded tothe panel I at 3. The stock of the panel is `preferably to 22 gagewhile` the projecting angle members are preferably-meldest light gageenameling iron of approximately 2`4` gage. The angleirons may beofany'suitabie width but preferably 1/2 to 1" irichso that eachanglemember may be spot weldedto. the panel- I in a single operation. Thelength of' the extending leg 5 of each angle is slightly lessi tha-nlthe" quatefsupportand'anchorage to the panel'. vHoweven, an; excessivenumber or anchoring membersa-re not'necessary. shown in Figure 1, thelegsare spaced 4 inches., apart. The' spacing may bevariedlin accordancewitlrthe character'` ofi the supporting.v medium, thencharacter of thepanel and `its .anchorage members, and the size of' the f Danek Afterthe. anchoring members have been. se-

cured-.to thepanel. I.. the article is provided with a coating ofalvitreous enamel such'A as porcelain enamel. The article is chemicallycleanedlto. re-

move grease and drtand. thensubjected to an acid-pickle to.removeironoxideand scale. Thereafter, a; base. coatfl.v is applied, tothe frontX surface .8` oi" the panel I.. the back surface Iiy thereof,and. to allthe exposed surfaces. of' the anchoring members 2. Thecoating is. iired'ih placent the usual. ground coat ringA temperaturewhichmay is applied in two coats, the first coat being termed thescratch coat and the second being termed the brown coat. It is desiredto point out that the present invention may befused in connection withany plaster which is soft or plastic and is adapted to receive and/orhave embedded therein the anchoring members of a panel provided with anexterior! coating of porcelainrenamelz', and preferably. a: corrosionresisting interior Vcoating of porcelain enamel, said plaster hardeningby setting or equivalent reaction. Other materials may be substitutedfor the plaster, the 'criterion being that at. the time of applicationof the panel .members the wall o1' other supporting member should havethereon asoft unhardened coating adaptedy to'harden' after the anchoringmembers .of ythe p anel have been pressed into the coating.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 1 3,. the? protruding legsI I of the anchoring member I2 are twisted to provide a encrage;

In .the form of theinvention shown inl Figures satisfactory anv4 and' 5,the rear surface' I-4 of the panel vI3l is with' a' ground coat I8 andthe' exterior" surface of the' panel; is provided" with a cover' coat'vIQ.

A further modi'cation of the invention is shown inA Figures 6i to' 8,vinclusive` Int'sead voi weldinga series of singlelugsv` to" theback'surface' ofI thepanel member, the angle-iron 2U may haveportions of on'eflange removed asby cutting is caused` to. f'use,4 vitri'ty.. and'.react. with the `base material to,- adhere firmly to the metal ofr thepanell.

After the v.ground coatenamel has been `iired in placa., one. or. morevitreous or porcelain.. enamel covery coats 9 oflany desiredA color. orcombination of colors and patterns may be applied tothe ground. coat `Ion the front. face of the. panel, and thisexterior vitreous-formingcoating. maybe .fired at the usual temperature at which coverl coats arefired, which. may be around. 14005" to 15.00 FL to producethenalvitreousor porcelain enamel finish. The so produced'. article is.no.w ready for erection. The verticai legs. 5.. of! the anchoring..members 3 are embeddedi'n the. plaster III While the latter is. in aplastic softand unhardened stata. said plaster being, adapted toharden,` by exposure tothe air. or by exposure to am'7 mediumwhichwill'accelerate the hardening ofthe plaster..

As is well known, lime plaster is used for the plastering of the insidesof. buildings andi this is'. the` preferred plasteringrnediumwhich isapplied to the wall to be plastered'. However,A any of the prior artplastering, mediums. may bewused including calcium sulfate plasters. Itis obvious that the plaster may have other ingredients mixed with itandv usually said' ingredients. 1n-l clude a filler medium such as sand.The plaster ontv the metal to provide a* series of integral lu'gs" 2'I".The remainingv ange 22 may' be spot welded as" at 23 tothe innersurface' 275% ofthe panel 24. Y

In the' form ofthe invention shown inl Figure' 9. the panel member isprovided Wthsi'mulated tiles" 2'6 adjacent to tile indentation'sZT.VSecured to the back surfacez'e of the nie indentations 21 are aplurality of wires 3U? provided with` loops 3 I the bottoms of which`are spot welded asat 29 tothe surface 28. Theti'le'inde'ntati'ons 2'1may be spaced suiiiciently from thepla'ster surface to provide an air'yspace between the Atile and" the plaster surface, saidairAspace/,acting asa heat insulating" medium. Ifno insulating effect isdeorrtilev member and-'tlremembers projecting; there from to formanchorage means are prcvidediwth a` corrosion inhibit-ing coating ot avitreous or porcelain enamel.. After dipping.` the. article with its.anchorage means in the groundcoat porcelain enamel composition, theground coat is red at the usual. ground coat firing temperature wherebythe coating' is c'aused4 to fuse', `vitr'fy on cooling, and react withthe base materialltoiadnere' rmly tothe'metaloflthe panel or'thetile.The Aexteriiir surface of the article shown in Figures 6 to 10,inelusive, may be provided with an exterior fired porcelain enamelcoating of the character hereinbefore ser forth.

Any of the forms of the invention shown in Figures 6 to 10, inclusive,may be applied to a supporting surface having a plastic coating, as, forexample, plaster or the like, whilethe plaster is in a soft andunhardened state. Upon hardening, the article will be rigidly held inthe uniform plane whereby warping and bulging of lthe panel anddistortion of' the exterior porcelain enamel coating carriedby the panelis prevented.

Instead of spot welding anchorage means onto the panel plate, the panelmay be shaped as byv stamping to provide integral of various shapes.

The term iron or sheet steel as used inthe specification is intended tocover not only the high quality low metalloid content steel sheetcommonly used as a base for porcelain enamel, but also any iron or steelbase capable of being porcelain enameled, said base containingsubstantial proportions of alloying constituents, as, for example,nickel, chromium, tantalum, molybdenum, zirconium, and the like. Whilesteel sheet is the metal base generally used for the application ofarchitectural porcelain enamels, the present invention is in no waylimited to porcelain enameled architectural units having such sheetsteel base, but may lalso apply to porcelain enameled architecturalunits using any other suitable metal as a base, as, for example, copper,

anchorage members copper alloys, aluminum, aluminum alloys, nickel,

nickel alloys, and similar metal bases or alloys thereof.

While in the specification the application of the corrosion resistinginner lining and the exterior porcelain enamel coating is described asusing two firing steps, the namel coatings may be brought to a fusionand vitrication by a single ring step` Having thus described theinvention, what is claimed as new and ldesired to be secured to byLetters Patent is:

1. In combination, a supporting member, an in situ hardened-coatingthereon, and a panel member having an exterior coating of porcelainenamel, anchorage means secured to and holding said panel closelyadjacent the exterior surface of the hardened coating, said anchoragemeans comprising a wire having base portions extending adjacent to theinner surface of the panel member, loop wire portions intermediate saidbase portions and extending outwardly therefrom, said portions beingformed of upwardly extending leg members, the interior surfaces of whichare in face to face contact, spotwelds at the juncture of the loop legmembers and base portions uniting said anchorage means with said paneland preventing the spreading of said loop portions, said loop portionsextending into said hardened coating so that said panel member is heldrigidly in a uniform plane whereby warping and bulging of the panel anddistortion of the exterior enamel coating is prevented.

2. I n combination, a supporting member, an in situ hardened-coatingthereon, and a panel member having an exterior surface of porcelainenamel, a portion of said panel member being spaced from the supportingmember to provide an insulating pocket, other portions of said panelbeing held by anchorage means secured to the panel in firm, rigidcontact with the exterior surface of said hardened coating, saidanchorage means comprising a wire having base portions ing lisprevented.

3. In combination, a supporting member', an in situ hardened-coatingthereon, and a panel member having an exterior surface of porcelainenamel,` projecting members extending from the rear of said panel memberand in rm, rigid contact with the exterior surface of said hardenedcoatingy the portion of the panel member between said projecting membersbeing spaced'and depressed from 'the exterior surface of the supportingmember to provide an insulating pocket, anchorage means secured to' saidprojecting membersrsaid anchorage means comprising a'wire having baseportions spot welded to said projecting members, and loop portionsextending from said base portions into said in situ hardenedcoating sothat said panel member is held rigidly in a uniform plane wherebywarping and bulging of the panel and distortion of the exterior enamelcoating is prevented.

4. In combination, a supporting member, an in situ hardened-coatingthereon, and a panel n member having an exterior coating of porcelainportions and extending outwardly therefrom,

spot welds at the juncture of the loop and base portions unitingsaidanchorage means with said panel and preventing the spreading of saidloop portions, said loop portions extending into said hardened coatingso that said panel member is held rigidly in a uniform plane wherebywarping and bulging of the panel and distortion of the exterior enamelcoating is prevented.

5. In combination, a supporting member, an in situ hardened-coatingthereon, and a panel member havingl an exterior coating of porcelainenamel, projecting members extending from the rear of said panel memberand in iirm, rigid contact with the exterior surface of said'hardenedcoating, the portion of the panel member between said projecting membersbeing spaced and depressed from the exterior surface' of the supportingmember to'provide an insulating pocket, anchorage means secured to saidpanel, said anchorage means comprising a wire having base portionsextending adjacent to the inner surface of the panel member, loopportions intermediate said base portions and extending outwardlytherefrom, spot welds at the juncture of thev loop and base portionsuniting said anchorage means with said panel and preventing thespreading of said loop portions, said loop. portions extending into saidhardened coating so that said panel member is held rigidly in auniformplane whereby warping and bulging of the panel and distortion of theexterior enamel coating is prevented.

6. In combination, a supporting member, an in situ hardened-coatingthereon, and a panel member carrying a porcelain enamel coating on itsexterior surface, projecting members extending from the rear of saidpanel member, the portions of.' the; panel'4 member betweensaidyplojecting members beings, spaced` from theexterior surface ofi thesupporting, nmemlcner:V tof provide;- insulating pockets, anchoragemeans secured. to said projectingI members, saidv anclr-ierage`meanscomprising;` am elongated base portioni. disposed adjacent to therear of said panel, and a, plurality of means projecting; frornsaidbaseportioninto said: hardened coatings@y tha-tisaid; panel vrmemberisrigidly `held.` inw. a" uni-form plane whereby warping and bulging, oftl'iefpanel,and distortion of the exterior enamel coating is prevented;

.7. In` combination,l a supporting member, an in situ=hardenedcoatingthereon.and a panelrnemben having an exterior surface of porcelainenamel, anchoringtmeans for anchoring and holding; saidpanel-memberrigidly in. a uniform plane andvclose-lyiadjacentthe-exterior surfacevof said f hardened coating, whereby warping` and bulging vlliof thepanelanchdistortion of:4 theaexteriorl enamel coating istpreventemsaidanchorage means coinprising a wirehaving;hase;portionsr and loopportions integral therewith and extending upwardly therefrom, saidloopfportions being` forxnedtof up-

